Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout12/15/1937DECEPMER 15, 1937. THE NEWPORT BEACH CITY PLANNING CO':`TJISSION met in regular session Wedn "day, December 15, 1937 at 7 :30P.1% in the Newport Beach City Council • Chambers. Chairman Hopkins presiding. Meeting was called to order by the Chairman. ROLL CALL - Commissioners present: Hopkins, Seager, Williams, Briggs, Schnitker, Patterson, Findlay. Commissioners absent: Whitson. City Attny. Thompson, Bldg. Insp. Nelson and Tarr. Sampson, representing Yr. Tilton also attend MINUTES Minutes of the last regular meeting 11/24/37 were called for by the Chairman. It was moved by Schnitker that the reading of the minutes be dispensed with as all members had been supplied with copies thereof. Seconded by Briggs. Motion carried. REPORTS OF CO "MITTEES Balboa Island Set -Back Committee Chairman a Hopkins called upon Comm.. Briggs as the chairman of this committee, for a report. Briggs stated that there was no report from his committee at this time. SF?ec��ia__l Plannin C�ommitt�ee airman calle upd on Dr. Seager as chairman of this committee for his report. Dr. Seager pres- ented the map showing the 3 mile zone also detail maps which show certain areas within this limit outlining the paticular projects in these areas.. He stated that these maps have been prepared as a Dermanent record, the large map is printed on cloth and the smaller ones are to be printed on the same material. The cost of these maps was 14 dollars and he said the committee would like the commission's opinion as to whether they should be mounted at an additional expense of five or six dollars. Nr. Patterson said they are much easier to work with in their present form and having them printed on cloth makes them permanent. Patterson brought out the fact that the western boundry of • the 3 mile zone will leave an area without juris- diction and thinks that the western boundry should be extended even as far as Hunti_gton Beach if necessary. Dr. Seager thought Huntington Beach should be consulted before action is taken. Chairman suggested. that Dr. Seager confer with Huntington Beach and secure their cooperation. Dr. Seager stated that this is a progress report. CORRESPONDENCE Secretary read a letter from the American Society of Planning Officials thanking the commis- sion for their membership; also a letter from Arthur Iu. Brown protesting the construction of a roof over a pergola at 109 Sapphire, Balboa Island. Mr. Nelson said that a permit could not be issued for such construction. Chair adivsed the Secretary to advise I1 ?r. Brown of the Building Inspector's opinion. UNFINISHED BUSINESS Chairman asked Mr. Nelson to report on the sign board in Corona del Mar, brought to the attention of the commission at last meeting by Plrs. Williams. Mr. Nelson stated that in his opinion the sign board is not detrimental and does not obstruct the view of motorists to any extent. Chairman asked Attny,Thompson if the new Sign Ordinance would compel the owners of this board to move it.. Thompson said the ordinance applies only to new signs and would not affect those already erected. NEW BUSINESS Mr. Patterson presented the map of Tract 1007 for the consideration of the Commission, said it had been before the Council and had been referred to the Commission. He stated that Pr. Harvey had considered extending an alley through the property but was not in a position to do so at this time; he wants to know whether or not the Planning Commission will force him to put the alley through before giving its approval to his reversion to acreage. Chairman Hopkins thought the matter should be presented in a formal manner.. After examining the map, Attny. Thompson said the matter should be presented in the proper manner with the map showing specifically the alley to be abandoned and the alley to be put through, then the commission can give the matter consider- ation. Secretary said there is a letter from Mr. Harvey on file which was received at the time the first map was presented to the commission. Mr. Patterson moved that the Chair appoint a committee of 2 to contact the property owner and • report at the next meeting. Seconded by Briggs. Motion carried. So ordered by the Chairman. GOOD OF THE CITY Chairman Hopkins expressed the appreciation of the Commission for the large number of people in attendance. He said that the purpose of this meeting is to review the Traffic Report prepared in April, 1937 by Mr. Tilton which report outlines the traffic problems of Newport Beach and suggext- ed solutions for them. He suggested that the best way to become familiar with the report is to read it and so asked the Secretary to do so. Secretary read the Traffic Report. At the conclusion of the reading, Chairman Hopkins asked for expressions of opinion from those in attendance. He wished to give them one idea first, however, and that was, "What the public wants it will eventually get." "We must determine how we are going to use our land, we must determine whether it is to be developed as a picnic ground or as permanent residence property." Mr. Fred Story, representing the Balboa Busi- ness Men's Assn., which represents 95 of the operating business of Balboa, read a letter ad- dressed to the Commission requesting the commiss- ion to give serious thought and consideration to . additional parking facilities in the Balboa busi- ness district and suggesting a free parking area on the Ocean front west of the pier. He said that prospective customers cannot find parking space on the streets and therefore do not stop in the business district. Chairman Hopkins asked Mr. Story how the business men feel about extending the business district. T•.4r. Story said they are very much opposed to extending the district. What they feel is needed is limited time parking (1 hr.) on the vusiness streets and a place provided for all day parking for those who come to picnic or spend the day on the beach. Mr. Hopkins inquired what the business men think about putting a boule- vard along the ocean front, TTr. Story said they would object very much to any such plan. Mr. Thompson thought there was no possibility of a street ever going in along the beach front and that this right of way should be abandoned. Chairman Hopkins called on Mr. Day to express his opinion as a property owner on the ocean front, of the advisability of establishing free parking space on the beach. Mr. Day said he objected to free parking, as it might attract an undesirable element to Balboa, but that when the commission had formulated a plan, he would be glad to consider it and cooperate in any way. The Custodian of the Grammar School called the attention of the commission to the congestion of ' traffic around the school building and suggested crossings over the P.E. right of way at the school streets:` Mr. Kaiser spoke about the owners of large boats buying their supplies in other cities and 0 0 0 having them delivered at his landings because of no adequate docks where boats may be tied.-up for loading elsewhere. ?r. Thompson expressed the opinion that all classes make up a city and the more accommodations you give the more people you get. Every city has its "diseased area" and we cannot hope to keep our city entirely free from the undesirable ele- ment. Mr. Hopkins mentioned. tle deterioration of Redondo and. Venice as an example of what happens when the undesirable element is allowed to gain . control and which we must not allow here in Newport. Mr. Sampson said that congestion had been the cause of this deterioration. Chairman Hopkins extended an invitation to all who were in attendance and any others interested, to attend the special meeting to be held December 22, at which time Per. Tilton will be present to discuss the Traffic Report with the Commission. ADJOURNMENT On motion of Patterson, seconded by Schnitker the meeting adjourned to meet at 7;30 P.P., December 22, 1937, in the City Council Chambers. Respectfully submitted, '/W�Zl' HOWARD W. SEAGE SECRETARY COPY TO The City Planning Commission Gentlemen: • The Balboa Business and Property owners Association represents at least 950 of the operat- ing businesses of Balboa and over 90% of the pro- perty owners in that district. The Balboa Business and Property owners res- pectfully request that you give serious thought and consideration to additional parking facilities needed in the Balboa business district. The problem of additional parkingspace has so confused some people that they seriously believe it to.be an issue of Honky -tonk or not Honky -tonk. This is a gross missunderstanding. %,'e need :parking facilities in the Balboa district whichever way our community may grow. The Balboa business district has been created and zoned for business. Taxes have been assessed accordingly, and rents in proportion, - Depending mainly on the tourist trade our district has had an uphill struggle. Vacancies are becoming more numerous and rents harder to collect, but taxes must be paid. • Some relief for this situation can be had by permitting additional parking facilities. 'Ne are situated on the narrowest part of this narrow pen ninsula, with hardly street space or parking.faei- lities to take care of our permanent summer citizens; leaving; no room for visitors or tourists. Some people are of the opinion that we do not need visitors or tourists, and that they would come under the honky -tonk class. They also think that the only kind of business district Balboa need- s is the kind of business that is supported by our residential district. In making a careful check we find there is only one or two businesses in Balboa that could possibly survive by depending on our residential district for their support. In other words, Balboa depends nearly entirely on the tourists and visitors. Some people say we are only interested in mak- ing a high class residential and yachting community of our harbor distract. We do not want to inter- fere with t'nis thought and are anxious to make our harbor district as high class as possible. But we • do believe a section of our community could be set aside for the receiving of tourist and visitors *ith- out interfering with a high class residential com- munity. The Balboa business district has played the .art of host and hostess to these visitors. If we invite them- t'nrou?h our chamber of Co.,rrerce, or adver5isments, -- to come mere, surely we must have some place for them to stop. It is natural for visitors to come to the business district for information and knowledge regarding our harbor • district. But we find we have :-.o room for these . people. V,,e see them turn around in our crowded streets and drive out of town again. Some of these people could perhaps be the ones that we want in making up our residential district; but we give; them no chance. The only ones that really can appreciate the need for more parkin in this district are the ones that are actually in business here. Vile have a whole block between "A" st. and "B" St. with no alleys and not a single garage. This block is built nearly solid with apartments, courts, and residences. V!hen these places are all occupied during the summer months, they naturally park their cars as close to where they reside as possible, which is in the business district and adjotting. ?,lost employees and employers drive cars to work in this district. All do not park in garages or on lots. Fishermen that either rent rowboats and fish in the bay, or go out on ocean trips, or fish off the pier all park as close to Mmain St. as . possible. Our yacht owners and their friends with boats in the turrIng basin park as near as possible. Trucks and ,.•eliveries must have consideration, all in the business district. Vlhere, then on our few narrow streets can we find places for anyone else? Is it any wonder that we in the business district are looking for relief in parking facilities? The Balboa Business lien have studied this sit uation carefully. They have decided that if a narking area is created for three blocks on the ocean front, west of the pier, all day parking could be permitted there, and leaving the streets in the business district to be zoned for limited parking only. This would give the merchants an opportunity to take care of their customers. i'r'e also found that this location would Le the cheapest and agree- able with the adjacent property owners. The property to be used being privately owned (and not city property) but would be deeded to the cite* for such purposes. The expense for such a parking has been estimated at approximately 020,000. The property to be deeded the city would be valued at approximate • ly $10,000. Some %7 ',000 have been spent at Newport for parking. By giving Balboa the same amount of credit for this purpose, it would leave a differ- ence of approximately ;',;3,000 to be spent for this most useful need. This retort is intended for the purpose of inlightening anyone interested, and your planning board, for the real need of more parking facilities and not as to "shall we go honky -tonk or not honky- tonk." It may be well to state at this time that we do believe that clean, decent entertainment is injoyed by all and that such should not necessarily be termed "honky- tonk ". By proper city ordinances and their enforcement it would go a long way towards making Balboa a place to be proud of and a benefit to our whole Harbor district. The "Honky -tonk" is a big »roblem and needs a lot of consideration and. defining. Our problem is at this time more narking and we hope this Planning Board will give us consideration when lay- ing out your h_aster Plan. (Submitted by P-r. Fred Story) • 40